


So I think you should run. Run, run, run.

by youngjusticewriter



Series: My PJ plotbunnies. [8]
Category: Alias (Comics), Daredevil (TV), Jessica Jones (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Book 1: The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson), Dark, Dark Percy Jackson, Gen, Implied abuse, Mind Control, More characters to be added, Percy Jackson Needs a Hug, The Mist - Freeform, Young Percy Jackson, and never regretted it in all the books since, look in canon he was ready to murder Gabe at twelve years old without a single second of hesitation, you would be right to assume Percy is going to want to do a lot worse to Killgrave
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-30
Updated: 2019-11-30
Packaged: 2021-02-26 17:35:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21612283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/youngjusticewriter/pseuds/youngjusticewriter
Summary: And it’s stupid, like so stupid he’s picked up Grover’s paranoia, but the hair on the back of Percy’s neck is standing up like there’s something wrong when there wasn’t. Maybe his neighbor had gave Roger some kid’s Tylenol or something like that and it made the baby sleepy. Expect his brown eyes weren’t closed, a part of Percy couldn’t help but notice. Roger even let go of a strand his mother’s curls to reach a tiny fist out to Percy.
Relationships: Percy Jackson & Jessica Jones, Percy Jackson & Matt Murdock, Percy Jackson & Sally Jackson
Series: My PJ plotbunnies. [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1753591
Comments: 8
Kudos: 114





	So I think you should run. Run, run, run.

Percy stood at a crosswords. It was wrong but there had been a lot of wrong things happening in Percy’s life as of lately. 

One path had title floor and lead to a white door with a sign that read: Patient Room Three. The door was closed by somehow Percy knew if he chose the first path it, the door, wouldn’t be locked. The other path, the second one, wasn’t wrong like the first because crossroads took place outside so it’s not a surprise to see a towering pine tree like it would be to see a door from a hospital at the end of the path. 

“You’re going to have to choose you know,” the girl between the paths told him. “And you’re going to have to make a choice much sooner than you think.” She wasn’t looking at Percy even though she was talking to him. No, she was scratching her dog’s ear instead of looking at him. 

Percy frowned at the tone the girl had spoken with, for some reason it made the hair on the back of his neck raise just like how it had at Mrs.Dodds’ transformation that day in the museum. “What’s the choice?” Percy asked because he didn’t get why it was important. Okay, so a person being in hospital could mean something serious but why was a pine tree on a hill on all things being considered as important as a someone being hurt? 

It was then that the girl raised her head to look at him. Percy was once again reminded of Mrs.Dodds by the girl who had eyes far too old for such a young face. A crone, the words popped up in Percy’s head from who knew where. The girl with eyes of a crone. 

“You can either save your mother’s world or you can save your friends’ world,” the not-girl said with unblinking eyes. Percy’s lips were pulled further down at those words because of the increasing confusion he was feeling. 

Friends? Percy didn’t have friends - he only had one, Grover, and even then...Percy’s time at Yancy Academy was over and it had been made clear that he wouldn’t be allowed to attend another year at the boarding school. Despite Grover’s lies (and Percy knew he was lying because his friend couldn’t lie to save his life), Percy had worried about his best friend being bullied next year and it was one of the reasons Percy hadn’t been getting that much sleep lately. 

“You’re not making sense,” Percy confessed to her and he tried to keep the frustration he felt from out of his voice. Something in his gut, something that was reminded of Mrs.Dodds by this girl, knew it was smart to not anger her. There was also the fact she was giving him a heads up on some important decision. She wasn’t lying about how his life was normal and he just imagined it all which was more than Mr.Brunner and Grover had been doing lately. 

“A person’s future rarely does when they told of it,” was the only reply given to his question. 

Percy opened his mouth only to snap open his eyes after being yelled at to wake up. Without any thought Percy’s body jerked forward before tensing, his nails curling into his palms so to form fists even though that probably wouldn’t do anything to protect him against anything like Mrs.Dodds. It took a few seconds longer than it should have to realize he was no longer at the crossroad but, rather, in a taxi cab and there was nothing trying to kill him. The taxi driver (Mizu, Percy recalled after several seconds) was staring at him with furrowed eyebrows by the interior rear view. “Kid you okay? I didn’t mean to scare you like that,” Mizu admitted, concern was easy to hear in her voice. 

Percy tried put on a smile he had been using for years whenever mom became worried for him but by the continued worried look on Mizu’s face he didn’t think it was that convincing. “I’m fine. Give me a second and I’ll pay you.” Percy reached into his pocket and it wasn’t just the cash he had collected during the school year by selling the candy samples mom sent him that he found in there. Percy felt the card Grover had given him earlier because his best friend had been worried for Percy. The smile he had plastered on his face fell at the memory of Grover. Guilt rose in his chest not for the first time in the last few hours but Grover had been acting weird. Or, rather Percy amended, weirder lately and that said something when his best friend - one of the two people in school who remembered Mrs.Dodds - had been lying (and doing a really terrible job about) to Percy about not only the events at the school field they had taken to some Greek art museum but also that Mrs.Dodds had never existed to begin with.

Anyway, Percy thought as he dug out the appropriate amount to pay and more than appropriate amount to tip Mizu (Smelly Gabe when it came to money had the nose of a bloodhound somehow despite how much he smelled like Percy imagined a skunk would. So he would know if Percy came home with cash and would demand Percy form it over like he had done previously unless he wanted his step-father to kick in him the balls. Therefore Percy was more than happy to give a very generous tip the taxi cab driver though he couldn’t give all of the money away unfortunately or Smelly Gabe might just enact their guy secret anyway.), Grover had been acting stranger than usual after their bus had broken down in front of those three old ladies knitting a sock large enough for Sasquatch or even Godzilla: he had been muttering about why did this always happen, why did it always happen at twelve, not again, and other stuff like that. That, along with his best friend looking like he was dead man walking, genuinely had freaked Percy out. 

...So despite promising to wait for him (Grover’s bladder acted up whenever he was nervous) Percy had proceeded to ditch his best friend at the bus terminal. 

“Here you go,” Percy said before handing over the payment and tip. 

Mizu didn’t even count - she didn’t need to - before opening her mouth to protest. “Kid, keep some of those bills. That’s too muc-“ She cut off at the expression on his face. 

“Just take it,” Percy didn’t beg but there was something tired in his voice that made the taxi driver do just that. Or maybe he didn’t give Mizu enough to make another attempt because Percy then grabbed his suitcase from the floorboard and opened up the left car door before getting out.

Despite having to deal with Smelly Gabe more than he would be able to spend mom Percy was glad to be home. Things would stop being weird and maybe Percy could finally get so sleep without any nightmares that had been hounded ever since Mrs.Dodds had tried to attack him. Percy almost missed it because he was so caught up by the memory of that day and how even months later the hair on the back of his neck stood up but Percy stopped abruptly before turning around. Mom wouldn’t be home just yet, Percy justified as he made his way back to Mrs. Nicolson and Roger who wasn’t being fussy despite not having a blue pacifier in his mouth. 

Percy knew Mrs. Nicolson because he not only use to walk her dog during the summer but also babysit her son, Roger, whenever she went on a date with her husband. (Percy would probably be picking those jobs back up this summer again.) That was partially why a red flag was raised at the baby. (Is a baby still a baby if he’s two? Percy wondered as he took in the sight of the bags under Mrs. Nicolson’s eyes. Guess he wasn’t the only one not getting a good night of sleep lately, huh.) The other reason was because they were on the same floor of the apartment building so that too gave away to how Roger would pitch a fit or just generally talk like really loud if he didn’t have a pacifier on or was sleeping. 

“Hey,” Percy greeted to Mrs. Nicolson who wasn’t even attempting that rocking thing as she held her son to try and keep him quiet. And it’s stupid, like so stupid he’s picked up Grover’s paranoia, but the hair on the back of Percy’s neck was standing up like there’s something wrong when there wasn’t. Maybe his neighbor had gave Roger some kid’s Tylenol or something like that and it made the baby sleepy. Expect his brown eyes weren’t closed, a part of Percy couldn’t help but notice. Roger even let go of a strand his mother’s curls to reach a tiny fist out to Percy. 

Mrs. Nicolson smiled at him but she didn’t really look that happy in her eyes. It had to be because she was tired, Percy dismissed despite that budding and soon to be blossoming concern that was in his stomach. (Mom was at Sweets on America for a few more hours unless she got fired and had to get a new job so if something was wrong she would be okay.) 

Despite his mental dismissal just a few seconds ago Percy couldn’t help but ask, “Are you okay?” There was something in his tone that suggested he didn’t quite believe in himself despite his reassurances that everything was fine and it was just Grover’s paranoia from earlier unfortunately rubbing off on him or maybe it because Percy hadn’t been able to sleep good lately and it, the lack of sleep without nightmares, was making him see things that weren’t there. 

But then Mrs. Nicolson didn’t open her mouth and reply. She just brought her head up and down like there was someone forcing her nod and smile like she was some Barbie doll or something like that. Her blonde curls jiggled at the movement and Percy fought to keep on top of the growing panic he was feeling. 

“...I hope you get feeling better then.” Percy told her quietly. And it wasn’t just her was it? Roger wasn’t crying despite not having a pacifier in his mouth and he didn’t look sick nor tired. 

Mrs. Nicolson, with that same smile that was starting to horrify Percy plastered on her fake tanned face, stopped nodding to shake her head as though to warn Percy that she couldn’t get better. Without a word, without dropping that smile, Mrs. Nicolson handed her baby boy to him and Percy didn’t refuse because he could easily see his mom right now in his neighbor’s place. With the still silent baby candled in arms Percy didn’t go to his apartment because if there was something like Mrs.Dodds in there than it was only Smelly Gabe in the apartment and Percy didn’t care if his step-father died. Maybe he should. That was what good people were suppose to do right? They were to stand above and be better than the bad people but Percy, while twelve, wasn’t a kid who believed that good guys defeated the bad guys anymore. He hadn’t ever since Mr.Nicolson - despite being a police officer - had never tried to help mom or Percy whenever Gabe blew up on a mistake. 

It was then that an idea lit up in Percy’s mind. 

“Take Roger, lock your door, and go out by the fire escape,” Percy whispered as he offered the baby back to his mother. 

Only Mrs. Nicolson further shook head, that smile still super-glued to her worn face, and there were tears starting to build in her brown eyes. That panic was no longer a flower going to bloom but was beginning to grow as large as a tree. 

Percy took a step back and Mrs. Nicolson nodded desperately. If his neighbor could speak Percy absolutely knew that she would telling him to run while he still could though whether in a scream or whisper he did not know. 

Without a word (he didn’t want to risk it) Percy with a baby cradled in one hand and his suitcase in the other ran back to the lobby with the weight of her pleading eyes on him. (You’re not suppose to run with a baby - especially not with one hand - Percy knew even though he had never been told. It was just one of those common sense things. Anyway, you’re not suppose to run with a baby in your hand but in the circumstances it was probably smart. Still Roger did not cry.) He only stopped at the lobby because there was a pay phone at the lobby. Percy put down his suitcase and he didn’t fish out the card Grover had given him earlier today just in case something happened. No, Percy took what dollars he had left from the taxi ride and the tip he had given and he called Sweets on America’s number. 

Please, Percy begged in his mind and tears were threatening to spill out from his eyes. Please just this once let the best people in this world have good luck. Please don’t let my mom- 

“Hello! Welcome to Sweets on America! How may I be of service?” Answered a perky lady. She had to be new because Percy didn’t recognize her voice. 

“I-Is Sally Jackson there? I know you shouldn’t give out a co-worker’s information but she’s my mom - she gives me the blue candy samples she always picks up - and something has happened at-“ 

“Oh you’re Percy! Your mom has bragged to me all about you.” And a part of Percy - a small part because the bigger part of him wanted his mom’s co-worker to hurry up - was light at thought of his mom bragging about him, at being proud of him even though Percy couldn’t stay in at one school for more than a year and how he couldn’t go to a field trip without somehow causing trouble one way or another. “You need to call your home phone sweetie. Your mom has called in sick for the last few days.” 

And that light feeling fell from the height of the Empire State Building and splattered on the ground. Percy’s throat felt tight as he murmured out a thank you for letting me know before hanging up the phone. 

There was a baby in his arm and the smart thing to do would be run away but his mom was up there like silent and ever smiling Mrs. Nicolson was. 

And so Percy couldn’t leave her even if it meant facing something worse than Mrs.Dodds without Mr.Brunner being there to giving him a pen changing sword to save his life.


End file.
